Nuncy Russo's Beer Garden

Trenton Evening Times, April 4, 1934



Although it is known that this building once housed a tavern, this is the first advertisement found indicating it was a beer garden.  The R&H Brewing Company operated in the Stapleton neighborhood on Staten Island.  R&H switched to near-beer during Prohibition  before going back to regular beer in the 1930s.  R&H was bought out by Piels Beer in 1953.  Piels closed the R&H plant and the brand entirely a year later. 

White City : Old Bandstand?

Hamilton Township Public Library Local History Collection

The caption on this photograph, circa 1932, indicates it shows the former bandstand in the defunct White City Amusement Park.  The picture posted on 2/15 shows the bandstand under construction.  That structure is architecturally different from the one pictured above.  It has four columns and a drastically different roof line.  The picture below of the crowd on the midway depicts structures architecturally more compatible with the structure depicted above.  I am of the strong opinion that the picture above is miscaptioned and with geographical location is most likely one of the structures pictured below.





1907: White City Park's Bandstand

Hamilton Township Public Library Local History Collection

 The bandstand was located on the bluff between the stairs down to Spring Lake near the   Casino Restaurant and the Open Air Theatre.   

Steps at White City Park



 This photograph was posted 11/4/2010.  It was thought that the steps were all part of one stairway system.  Information exists that the steps in the foreground where the man is standing, were used by park employees to return to the top of the bluff the boats used on the shoot-the-chute water ride after they landed in the lake.  The steps in the background, pictured below, provided access for park patrons from the amusement area to Spring Lake below.

Hamilton Township Public Library Local History Collection 

1907:Spring Lake Competition

Trenton Evening Times, July 14, 1907

The lure of White City Amusement Park was enhanced by the activities on Spring Lake.  Crowds lined the lakeshore to witness the competition on the lake as seen in the picture above.  It appears that the two gentlemen in the canoes in the foreground in the picture were competing in the Single Doubles event. 

Mike stated :

Thanks Mike!  Your exhilaration is one of the reasons this blog is published.

1976: Willey School Closes

Trenton Evening Times, May 20,1976



1950: Willey School Race

Trenton Evening Times, May 24, 1950



1937: Willey Dogs

Trenton Evening Times, June 18, 1937



1915: Willey Student Estella Sarna

Trenton Evening Times, October 27, 1915



1914: Willey Banking

Trenton Evening Times, November 22, 1914

1916: Willey School Flag Pole

Trenton Evening Times, May 26, 1916



1913: Willey School Site

Trenton Evening Times, February 27, 1913

It is interesting to learn that there was a possibility this school could have been located elsewhere.  The Reeger land extended from Annabelle Avenue into Lalor Tract.

1917: Liberty Six

Trenton Evening Times, January 21, 1917

J. Gilbert Willey was selling the Liberty Six at South Broad Street and Rowan Avenue by the summer of 1917.  The Liberty Motor Car Company produced automobiles in Detroit, Michigan from 1916 to 1924.

1907: Lawson's Thanksgiving

Trenton Evening Times. November 29, 1987

The following is another excerpt from Tom Glover's A Look Back column regarding fictional character, Lawson Tattler, and his visits to Broad Street Park. 



World War II Poster

It is fitting to post this World War II poster during the month of November when we honor our veterans.  Many BSP residents honorably served our country.

1971: Rusling Hose Company 75th Anniversary

Members of Rusling Hose Company pose in front of the firehouse at South Broad and Rennie Streets.  The men gathered for the picture prior to parading through Broad Street Park.

1908: Relieved!

Trenton Evening Times, June 21, 1908



1908: Perplexing!

Trenton Evening Times. June 18, 1908

Didn't the "authorities" know about this?

1908: Astonishing!

Trenton Evening Times, June 16, 1908

WHAT?   REALLY?   More to follow . . .



1936 WPA Project

THE WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION (WPA) WAS THE LARGEST AND MOST AMBITIOUS PROGRAM EMPLOYING MILLIONS OF UNSKILLED WORKERS TO PERFORM PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION.

1919: Rake's Overlands

Trenton Evening Times, November 2, 1919

Willys Model 4 Overlands

Mr. Rake must have been proud driving this beautiful automobile down Schiller Avenue.  It must have generated a lot of interest from his neighbors.  The Willys-Overlands Motor Company was the second largest producer of automobiles in the United States from 1912 to 1918 after Ford Motor Company.  The Willys-Overlands factory was located in Toledo, Ohio.

Old Fire Bells

Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser, February 8, 1925

                              The following excerpts are from an article, "Trenton Bells That Have Seen Long Service . . .", By John J. Cleary.

Rusling Hose Company's Bell



The old fire bells were those the City of Trenton's volunteer fire companies used to summon firefighters.  Trenton became a paid fire department on April 4, 1892 and the volunteer companies were disbanded.  The Liberty Engine Company was located at 561 North Clinton Avenue and the Lincoln Fire Company was located at 1005 South Clinton Avenue.

1907: White City Opening

Trenton Sunday Advertiser, May 19, 1907

It is through articles such as this that we can try to visualize where the various buildings and attractions were located in White City Amusement Park.  Other newspaper articles have placed the carousel in the Sewell Avenue end of the park - a right turn after the entrance.  The roller coaster, flying swings and the pavilion were located there as shown in available pictures. It is not clear where the carousel could be located in this area. It was reported that the carousel building had large glass windows as seem to appear on the pavilion.  In all probability the pavilion housed the carousel.  The band stand located on the bluff along the midway most likely sat to the left of the Casino.  The other attractions mentioned existed along the midway.

Boy Scout Troop 67

Trenton Evening Times, May 2, 1937

This article brings back memories.  I was a member of Troop 67 and Flaming Arrow was my patrol.  Troop meetings were held in a one-room building at the end of New Cedar Lane owned by the parish.  "Steal the Bacon" was still being played in the late 1950s!

Circus' Winter Home

Trenton Sunday Times-Advertiser, October 25, 1936

The Hunt Circus wintered on the the Pitman Farm until 1942 when it began wintering in Florence NJ.  Note Hamilton High School in the background at Dolly's head.

1939: Hamilton High/Pitman Farm

Although this photo isn't of the best quality, it does depict two important areas in the history of Broad Street Park.  Hamilton High. lower left, which opened in 1930, occupied land which was once a part of the Pitman Farm.  The horse racing oval of Earl Pitman is seen in the upper portion of the photo.  The Pitman Farm  encompassed many acres and originally extended to South Broad Street.  

1907: Mr. Hamer's Horse

Trenton Evening Times, January 29, 1907

These tidbits of information help us to create a fascinating image of what BSP was like in the early part of the 20th century when people were able to keep horses in a barn in their back yard.  Charles R. Hamer, carpenter, lived at 202 Lafayette Avenue 

1922: Blacksmith George Young

Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser, 12/31/1922

It is interesting to learn of former Parkers who hold a quiet but interesting niche in BSP history.  George W. young (1865-1960) is one of many.  William "Billy" Sunday (1862-1935)was a famous evangelist during the early 20th century. 

1891: Rusling Station

Trenton Evening Times, October 14, 1891

This railroad station was established to enable area residents to access Broad Street Park prior to the trolley line being extended to Harrison Avenue.  People had to cross the meadows to reach the park and station.  The station in all probability utilized the line the NJ Transit River Line runs on today south of Rt. 195/Rt.29.  A search for a picture of the station has not proved successful to date.  The search will continue. Since the station was built for people attending the park, it may have looked something like the illustration below

 

1907: White City Roller Rink

This picture of the White City Amusement Park roller skating rink and dancing academy was posted on Facebook's "It's a Trenton Thing"  by Marge Miccio.  The skating rink and dancing academy was one of the largest of its time.  A bandstand was located at the southwest end of the building - located at the Buchanan Avenue end of the Park at the end of the midway. The building became the vaudeville theatre in 1908.

Maurice "Mo" Cunningham

FROM L TO R:  ERIC RODIN, RAY RAMBIN,  AND MO CUNNINGHAM, 1949 TRENTON GIANTS (DUNN FIELD)

COLLECTION OF TRENTON CITY MUSEUM

 Maurice "Mo" Cunningham was a native Iowan and Schiller Avenue neighbor.  He was a power-hitting outfielder for the Trenton Giants, a New York Giants farm team from 1946 to 1950, and played at Dunn Field at the Brunswick Circle with Willie Mays.  Mo was a good man with a friendly smile and greeting for everyone. 

Pumper

Trenton Evening Times, March 12, 1979

Holy Angels Class of 1959

Front row, l-r, Mary Ann Kent, Cheryl Lipski,Nancy Muzyk, Kathleen McNichol, Marie Parrotta, Janice Bayman, Elizabeth Cserneck, Carol Catanese, Rev. Hughes, Rev. Carney, Rev. Cooley, Gloria King, Donna Hoy, Patricia Magee, Mary Ann Waltos, Judith Rush, Virginia Weitz , Cynthia McDermott, Charlotte Horvath; Second Row: John Leverence, William Schnorbus, Bruce Begg, Michael Olearchik, Mary Paske, Trudy Sebestyn, Rosemarie Krakowski, Cecelia Wolice, Eileen Szul, Joan Golinsky, Elaine Muschal, Patricia Hillman, Patricia Evans, Judith McDermott, Margaret Hancin, Andrea Spisak, Michael Byrne, Paul Curry, Leonard Sobolewski, Robert Licciardello; Third Row:  John Herrity, Richard Jancewicz, Robert  Grohala, Thomas Smith, Paul Allaire, John Yager, Thomas LaFisca, Edward McGlone, Francis Gallate, George Bacso, James Colello, Joseph Kraus, Joseph DeNito, Frank Maurio, Ronald Nuel, Frank Notte, Joseph Licciardello, Louis Lansing.

Pictured above is the best class to graduate from Holy Angels School.

Acme Hardware

This building located at 1802 Chambers Street, corner of Joseph Street, was the location of Acme Hardware from 1924 to1972.

Pumper, Rusling Mascot

Trenton Evening Times, August 7, 1969

Good old Pumper.  He was the company's last true dalmatian.

William Hutchinson, BSP Civil War Veteran

Trenton Evening Times, September 17, 1911

It is always interesting to learn of former Parkers who participated in major events locally and in the country.  One has to wonder how much day to day interaction Mr. Hutchinson and General Rusling had in Broad Street Park.  Mr. Hutchison's former residence at 231 Sewell Avenue could not be found.  Perhaps the house numbers have changed over the past 100 years  

1960: BSP Library Branch

Trenton Evening Times, April 19, 1960
                                                                                                       

The library branch was located in the one-story portion of this building at 1931 Genesee Street.  The structure was moved to this location from 2031 South Broad Street, the site presently occupied by a gasoline station at South Broad and Mary Streets.

Rusling Pharmacy

This building at 2003 South Broad Street (cor. Buchanan) was the home of Rusling Pharmacy beginning in the 1940s.  Of particular historical interest is that the building once housed an A&P market as gleaned from the advertisement below.  Information available indicates it was a market from approximately 1928 to 1939.  A&P later moved across and down the street to a larger facility at  2110 South Broad.